


A Fatherly Moment

by AutumnFalls89



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26871094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnFalls89/pseuds/AutumnFalls89
Summary: Reggie and Ray share a bonding moment in the kitchen. Just a short story that popped into my head after reading "Logic Dictates" by TakingOverMidnight3482.
Relationships: Ray Molina & Reggie
Comments: 7
Kudos: 264





	A Fatherly Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Logic Dictates](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26481139) by [TakingOverMidnight3482](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482). 



> Just a short story that popped into my head after reading "Logic Dictates" by TakingOverMidnight3482. Full credit for their meeting story (vaguely referenced here) goes to them.

Ray leaned on the counter, alternately looking at his laptop and the photos strewn around him. If he could just narrow it down, he could call it a night. He looked back at the laptop in frustration. If only he could understand what his client wanted. What exactly constituted a “whimsically basic” photo anyhow? How was a downtown office whimsical? It was days like this that Ray questioned his life choices. A slight motion caught his attention. One of the photos slowly rose in the air and danced by his face. Reggie.   
It never failed to amaze him – ghosts! If he hadn’t seen them with his own eyes, or not seen them as the case may be, he wouldn’t believe it. It had only been a week since he had first talked to Reggie in the kitchen. A week since Reggie had scribbled that short message on a piece of paper. And so many things had changed.

The first change was the music. Often, the boys would play during the day when Julie was in school. It made good background music for the days he worked at home. He enjoyed the raw guitar and thumping drums. It reminded him of his youth.   
The second change was his keys. He never lost his keys or phone anymore. They would always appear. He was pretty sure that was Reggie, although Julie said that Alex sometimes helped. Julie had muttered something about how strange it was that airhead Reggie could remember where things where. Apparently, his ghostly shadow was nearly as forgetful as he was! Yet somehow his keys would magically appear right where he needed them. His phone was always on the table and his laptop battery never died. A helpful ghost would always plug it in just as he got the low battery warning. They were small things, but he could get used to it. 

Ray was rarely alone these days, even when the ghosts didn’t make their presence known. One of the ghosts was his near constant shadow. He didn’t mind. Reggie reminded him of a boy he knew in high school. Anytime Jeremey visited Ray or anyone else, he would always lurk near the adults, watching their daily tasks and small, kind interactions with their children with longing. A boy he had hated, until his father made him see things differently. 

“But dad,” young Ray complained, “he’s so weird. He likes comes over and just lurks. The other guys already call him a freak. I’m not gonna be a freak by association.”

His dad favoured him with a quelling stare. “Jeremy’s not a freak. He’s lonely and wants to feel normal.”

“Because he’s a freak.” Ray muttered. 

His dad sighed. “What do you know about his home life?”

Ray raised an eyebrow. 

“I knew his father. He was a lowlife. He was rarely there and when he was, he was drunk as a skunk. Never had a good word for anyone, including Jeremy. He hardly has a mother either. She works two jobs, you know. He basically lives alone. That does terrible things to a child, forces them to grow up too fast.” 

“What does that have to do with him hanging around here?”

“He wants to feel safe, Ray. He feels safe at our house, at your friend’s houses. He just wants to pretend that he has a happy, carefree life like you guys do. I know he’s a pain sometimes, but all he wants is to have a life like you do.” He raised his hands. “Don’t say anything more. Just think about it.” 

It wasn’t until he became a father that he truly understood it: the bone deep need for family and belonging. Now, looking back, he wished he had actually befriended Jeremy, not just tolerated him. He wanted to reach back through time and comfort Jeremy, tell him everything would be fine one day. So, when Reggie had appeared in his kitchen, he took it as a matter of course. No one had to tell him Reggie’s story; he just knew. He tried to include him in his daily chores, asking him for suggestions on photos or letting him choose the music as he cooked. Small things to make him feel normal, more human. It was the least he could do. 

Ray plucked the photo from Reggie’s invisible hand and studied it. “That just may be a contender.” He said placing it on the other side of the laptop. “If I just tweak the lighting here and add some text there…”  
He reached for his pen but grasped empty air. Now where did it go now? He rifled through the papers. It was nowhere to be seen. His wife had always joked that he would lose his head if it wasn’t attached. She had constantly tidied up after him and kept him organized. Thank goodness for Julie who was far tidier than he was. Even Carlos didn’t lose things as often! He didn’t know what he’d do without his children. If nothing else, he’d spend eternity trying to find things! 

A pen floated into his vision as he fruitlessly searched his pockets. 

“Thanks son.” He murmured. 

The pen dropped onto the counter with a clatter. Ray looked up sharply. His eyes only met empty air. He began to reach for the pen but paused, his hand hovering over it. Before his eyes, a corner of one photo began to blur. What in the world? A second section blurred. Then a third, a fourth. A tingling feeling brushed the back of his neck, a sign that Julie’s ghosts were near. It wasn’t until drops of water began to wet his shoulder that he clued in. He gently folded his arms around the ghost, stroking his hair. He wasn’t sure if Reggie could feel the embrace, but he hoped it would help. And even if Ray’s hand patted above Reggie’s head and his arm was in the middle of Reggie’s body, it was enough. The tears slowed and Reggie gave a watery (and invisible) smile. He picked up the pen again and scribbled “thank you” on the nearest paper. 

Ray smiled. “You’re welcome.”


End file.
